Browsed byTag: caregiving

Did you know that of the 564,000 Canadians with dementia, 60% will go missing or become lost at some point? These men and women are more than just a number. And so are you. You have the power to be the one who makes an impact. By making a donation today, you can help fund dementia research initiatives and support vital programs for people with dementia and their families. With your support, we can help people like Margaret and her…

Danielle’s personal experience inspired her to pursue research in the field of continuity of care. She will assess existing services through the use of oral narratives by female, Indigenous caregivers for a loved one diagnosed with alcohol-related dementia and will make recommendations based on their experience. Coming from a First Nations family, it was difficult to navigate the healthcare system dealing with jurisdictional barriers, stigma and a lack of resources. As a caregiver, there are no existing supports for alcohol-related…

By Alex Westman My wife Donna and I met when we were just teenagers—she was 18, I was 16. Despite our youth, we understood early on that we had a deep connection. It was an amazing thing, really, and still is. There was magic in her and she saw something in me. I had a reputation as a bit of a scrapper, but she soon took care of that. These days, I’m almost respectable. I’m a three-term municipal councillor in the…

The Alzheimer Society of Canada celebrates the passage of Bill C-233, An Act respecting a national strategy for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Canada will now become the latest country to develop a national dementia strategy to address the overwhelming scale, impact and cost of dementia. “For the more than half a million Canadians living with dementia and their families, this is an important milestone,” says Pauline Tardif, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. “A national strategy enables a…

Recently, my family has joined the unfortunate ranks of those who have been impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. My mom started showing early signs of the disease a few years ago, and it has slowly and stubbornly progressed ever since. The toll that Alzheimer’s is taking on my mom is obvious and devastating. Less obvious, but just as significant, is the impact it is having on my dad. As my mom’s primary caregiver, it’s been said that my dad must ride…

On Thursday, April 27th, 2017, Ontario Finance Minister, Charles Sousa, introduced the 2017 Ontario Budget, A Stronger, Healthier Ontario, which included $100 million over three years for the implementation of an Ontario dementia strategy. This is in addition to the $20 million investment for improving respite care for unpaid care partners that was announced earlier in the week. This is a major win for the over 220,000 Ontarians and their families who have been impacted by dementia! The Alzheimer Society…

Pauline Tardif was appointed the new CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Canada on March 20, 2017. We recently sat down with Pauline to learn more about her background, her goals for the Alzheimer Society, and her life outside of work.

It was love at first sight when Sandy met Doug. They had both ended long marriages. They shared a passion for work, a love of travel, and had compatible plans for retirement. They clicked instantly. The McLean’s married two years later and were in the midst of living the lives they’d dreamed of when Doug, a top executive, lost his job because of increased anxiety and diminishing cognitive abilities. Things didn’t get better. Doug became depressed and delusional. He could no longer tell time or do math, and he struggled with his…

When you’ve seen the effects of dementia before, noticing even minor changes in your cognitive abilities can be alarming. Both Yvon and Susanne lost their mothers to Alzheimer’s, so they’re no strangers to the disease. When Susanne began to show small signs of forgetfulness a few months ago, they immediately went to their doctor. After a series of tests, Susanne was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which can be—although not always—a precursor to dementia. Susanne was given appropriate medication…

It’s common to think that dementia affects only particular demographics—like seniors—but Kathryn Fudurich’s story reminds us of how this disease can have a huge impact on anyone’s life. When Kathryn was 21 and in her last year of university, her mom, Patricia, was diagnosed with young onset dementia. The signs had been there for a while. Patricia had become anxious about everyday tasks like driving, began buying household items in multiples and struggled professionally. At age 55, she could no…